On a recent trip to Amsterdam, I ventured outside the city to explore two places that showcase the beauty the Netherlands is known for worldwide: flowers. I toured Royal FloraHolland, in Aalsmeer, the largest marketplace for flowers in the world, and spent several hours at Keukenhof Gardens, in Lisse, known as the “Garden of Europe.” Royal FloraHolland […]
Amsterdam is celebrating the 750th anniversary of its founding in 2025. 750 years old I recently spent five days in the Dutch city of about 925,000 residents and found it easy to navigate, friendly, and charming. It’s cosmopolitan, home to 180 nationalities although about half the population is of indigenous Dutch origin. I found it […]
Some of you may have noticed that I didn’t post anything for a couple of days, which is unusual for me. The first omission was because the conference I was attending so occupied me, there simply wasn’t time. Yesterday I took an early morning flight to Amsterdam. When I arrived, I was coughing, sneezing, and […]
I seem to have shaken the worst of my cold, so today was a packed day. After an early breakfast, I went out for a walk, heading vaguely in the direction of the Central Station. Within minutes I found myself at the flower market, a long line of stalls alongside a canal. It calls itself […]
Yesterday was my final morning in Amsterdam before flying home. The friendly desk clerk at my hotel (the @NesHotel) helped me come up with a plan. He suggested that I walk over to the Oude Kerk. But, he cautioned, “go now. You have to walk through the Red-Light district to get there. It will be […]
Yesterday I showed rooflines; today I’m focusing on architectural embellishment. While I didn’t have a preference for the rooflines in San Sebastian or Amsterdam, Amsterdam wins hands down for embellishment. Dutch merchants wanted to show off their wealth. On many of their buildings there are gold adornments, sculptures, elaborate coats-of-arm or fancy trimmings. They liked […]
Joanna McIsaac-Kierklo in Dublin Many retirees, freed from their work obligations and looking for adventure, dream of living overseas. Edward Kierklo and Joanna McIsaac-Kierklo don’t dream. They just do. In May 2021, the couple, feeling trapped by the pandemic in their sleepy town in the Sierra Foothills east of San Francisco, decided to break out […]
